As we are going to discuss the pros and cons of grain-free dog food let us understand its ingredients. Grains such as wheat, barley, oats, corn, etc., are added to the dog food. They are not inherently bad but low-quality fillers derived from corn, wheat, etc. should be avoided. 

Whole, organic or natural foods are unprocessed and contain the complete nutritional profile of the grains. Whole grains are healthier as they are not degraded due to processing. But they should be high quality and digestible to the dog. 

If your dog is allergic or sensitive to grains then a grain-free diet is advisable. Your dog will get high quality and digestible food as it contains legumes, beans, vegetables and other plant-based sources of the basic food groups. 

Pros and Cons of Grain-free Dog Food

We discuss the pros and cons of grain-free dog food so that you can decide for yourself if it is right for your pet.

Pros of Grain-free Dog Food

A grain-free diet does not mean no carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are made of 3 components – sugar, fiber, and starch. Fiber and starch are complex carbohydrates that release energy slowly. While sugar is a simple carbohydrate that releases energy immediately.

Starch from dog food ingredients such as tapioca, beans, vegetables, legumes, and potato digests slowly to release energy over time.

Grain-free dog food is meant for canines that cannot digest grains. Usually, all dogs have enzymes to digest, absorb and utilize the nutrients from grains. But in the case of those dogs that cannot – grain-free dog foods are a blessing.

Dogs may be allergic to grain proteins such as gluten. Their system may identify the protein as an invader and produce histamine. This causes the dog to chew, scratch and itch incessantly. A grain-free diet may be recommended in this case. 

Other health issues that benefit from grain-free dog food are dog obesity. The low carbohydrate diet causes their body to utilize the fat and proteins to produce energy. 

A low carbohydrate diet or grain-less diet is recommended for dogs diagnosed with cancer or diabetes. Low carbohydrate and high-fat diet with fish oil help speedy recovery and extend a disease-free remission. 

Grain-less dog food also helps manage the production of insulin for diabetic dogs. Some grains have a high glycemic index. The high glucose level challenges insulin levels. 

Lectins and glutens in some grains cause inflammation. Chronic gut inflammation occurs where the superficial layers of the intestine have eroded. This impairs the secretion of enzymes that aid in immunity, digestion, and absorption of nutrients.

The malassimilation of carbohydrates causes diarrhea. If this malabsorption continues it leads to bacterial fermentation and overgrowth that causes flatulence, and other issues.

How to Use Guillotine Dog Nail Clippers

The Cons of Grain-free Dog Food

Regular dog foods include a balanced amount of grains in them. This provides complex carbohydrates that digest slowly and release energy throughout the day. Grains are nutritious. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, etc. The dogs are disallowed the benefits of grains.

Grains are also rich in fiber that binds the feces and helps in gut motility. This helps clean the digestive tract and maintain weight. Grains can delay gastric emptying; this slows down the small bowel transit time.

During this time the bowels bind the toxins and bile acids that irritate the bowels. The overall process normalizes the gut motility. The slow transit of fiber also causes the animal to feel full longer which curbs the appetite.

Grains are also rich in lean protein. The gluten in the grains is a high-quality protein. Though it is not as bioavailable or intestinally absorbable as animal-sourced proteins. The high-quality whole-grain diet helps fortify other protein sources that contribute to your dog’s health. 

The combined effect of the nutrients, fibers and regular bowels sets up a healthy gut fauna. A healthy gut ensures a healthy heart, brain and immune system. This promotes healthy sleep, improves the mood and prevents auto-immune diseases and cancers. 

Some pet owners believe that a grain-free diet means a high protein or meat diet. This is not true as this dog food includes peas as a first and alternative ingredient to grains. The following ingredients may be chicken meal and fats; which is not meat.

Grains have lower fat content than meat. A balanced diet of meat and grains helps control weight by reducing calories. 

A study by FDA informed of the deleterious effects of the grain-free diet on these fur babies. It found that the dogs fed on lentils, peas, potatoes, and legumes had higher chances of suffering from Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy. 

Regardless of the pros and cons of grain-free dog food your dog deserves a balanced diet. As one size does not fit all it is recommended that you formulate a diet that supports your pet’s needs. The factors to consider would be the pet’s activity level, age, size, health issues, etc.

You may not need to include grains. But it is always wise to consult with your veterinarian to personalize your pet’s food.

Grooming your dog is one of the things that a dog owner needs to do. But clipping their nails can be hard. Especially if you don’t make use of the right dog nail clipper. Many dog owners are recommending the guillotine dog nail clipper, and with good reason. 

But, before you can go off and purchase your own guillotine and start clipping, you need to know a couple of things. These are some of the things that you need to know about the guillotine dog nail clippers and how you should use it correctly. 

What is Making the Guillotine Dog Nail Clipper Different

The first thing that you might wonder, is what is making the guillotine dog nail clipper different from the rest? There are many different nail clippers for pets available, but this one is by far the most recommended.

This is because it makes cutting nails a lot easier, and faster and ensures that the pet stays comfortable. It allows more force and will make it easier to cut with the first slice. It is great to use for people with arthritis or that doesn’t have a lot of strength in their hands.

And, it is the one clipper that is making it less stressful for the animal as well. You will have less chance of cutting off too much of their nails, causing it to bleed. 

On Which Dogs Can You Use the Guillotine Nail Clippers

A question that many are asking, is on which type of dogs can you use the guillotine nail clippers. Are this designed for larger breed dogs, or for smaller breed dogs?

The first guillotine dog nail clipper was designed for the smaller breed dogs that don’t have tough and hard nails to clip. However, over time, these dog nail clippers have changed and now it can be used for any type of dog. You just need to make sure that you are purchasing the right one for the type of dog you have. 

When You Are Choosing the Guillotine Dog Nail Clipper

There is a different type of guillotine dog nail clippers available on the market. And, you need to make sure that you are purchasing the right one. A quality, sharp nail clipper that isn’t too expensive is the thing that you want to consider.

However, you want to make sure that the blades are staying sharp, or that you can replace or sharpen the blades after a couple of uses. You also want to make sure that this is the right dog nail clipper for the size dog that you have.

Reading a couple of reviews, before you are deciding on the guillotine dog nail clipper for you, will ensure that you are going to get value for money, and make sure that you aren’t going to struggle again with cutting your dog’s nails. 

How to Use It Correctly

If you are following these steps in how to use the guillotine dog nail clippers correctly, you will see that it is really easy to use, and you will be able to use it without any problems.

These are the steps in how you should use it correctly to ensure that your dog stays comfortable.

• Let your dog gets comfortable with the guillotine dog nail clipper. Put it in front of them, so that they can sniff it and make sure that they see that it isn’t a threat. 
• Make sure that your dog is comfortable, while you are picking up your dog’s paws. You should not continue with cutting their nails if they are uncomfortable. They might hurt themselves in the process.
• If this is the first time that you are cutting your dog’s nails, make sure that you are cutting small amounts off at first. Cutting off too much will hurt and cause it to bleed.
• Giving treats while you are cutting their nails is a way to reward them for sitting still and letting you handle their paws. This will also let them sit still for long so that you can cut all four paw’s nails. Talk to them and playing with them, in-between is a great way to spend time with them, while you are using the guillotine to cut their nails.
• Clean the nail clipper after using it and store it away for the next time. If you keep the clipper maintained and clean it can be used for a long time.

Now, you know everything there is to know about the guillotine dog nail cutter. From why this is a preferred cutter by professionals, to the steps on how you should cut their nails. This can be a great time to bond with your dog, if the dog stays comfortable and if you don’t hurt your dog in the process.

Don’t hurry when you are cutting the nails, and make sure that you have treats at hand.